The Old Story Of Mortal Kombat
by QQQ p
Summary: Explanation added at the beginning. Am still writing (=
1. Chapter 1: The summoning Bell

Explanation… well this piece of fanfiction I'm writing is based upon the first game of Mortal   
  
kombat. When playing the original I found it fascinating that some of the original characters had   
  
completely different personalities to their alter egos in the later games such as Deadly Aliance   
  
etc. All of the character's in this writing have been spiked in some way, changed in character from   
  
their usual self. This writing has no connection with the later mortal kombat games even though it   
  
features characters from them, instead, it is an alternative outlook or ending to mortal kombat   
  
one. I'm changing my mind with this all the time, so please feel free to give me suggestions. I   
  
have no fear of killing characters in this fanfiction at any moment, so pleased don't be too   
  
attached to any individual, this is after all a game where people do kill each other.  
  
Oh and disclaimer… not really necessary I guess, if you want a disclaimer go read another Mk   
  
story and use that one for me =p you know the drill… parody, coincidence, no profit etc  
  
Thanks, I hope that wasn't too long and boring for you, well here we are. This is what I've done so   
  
far:  
  
The Old Story of Mortal Kombat  
  
Out across the empty sea, there lies a new island. It wasn't always there, or was it ever there   
  
at all? The sea laps across the primeval world, the water not set, the clouds drenched in rain and   
  
the sun, a blinding haze. It flickers slowly in the dusk as the morning sun brings new light to the   
  
world. It flickers unsure of itself, not quite there, not quite existing. The island is on the border of   
  
the realms, and on it, is about to partake the conflict of the fighters from all around the world.  
  
A portal flickered in the depths of the island, a small room. An old figure emerges with white   
  
flowing hair and a black cloak. He is a powerful sorcerer, he alone is about to run the competition   
  
of the world, Mortal kombat. His eyes are sleek and knowledgeable, his fingertips are a beacon of   
  
power and the dark arts that Shao Kahn the black emperor taught the sorcerer himself. The half   
  
dragon Goro stands in front of him, a warm orange glow emanating from him even in the   
  
darkness of the dungeon.  
  
"This is your Lair Goro" said the sorcerer quietly. He hovered away from the glowing portal   
  
and looked at the ceiling, the old stone blocks forming it's heights. Goro was a sizeable monster,   
  
with four arms and strength of a hundred warriors. He stood almost twice as tall as the sorcerer.   
  
He dwarfed him in comparison.  
  
"Is this where you would like me to wait master?" asked the half dragon "By the portal?"  
  
"Yes Goro" returned the mage "This is where you will wait, when we destroy the mortals this   
  
will also be the place where ShaohKahn himself will enter himself along with his powerful   
  
minions, when that happens, you will instead serve him"  
  
"Yes master" returned the monster, it skulked quietly away into the shadows.   
  
Across the gentle flowing sea, boats came in the hundreds. Shangtsung watched them from   
  
atop the highest point on the island. His black robe fluttered behind him in the wind, and in his   
  
hand a black staff rested on the ground. He used it more as a walking stick then a wand or   
  
magical implement. Rocks and desert weeds scattered away down the slope right across until the   
  
shore. An old forest also in the path, with tall trees that reached up into great heights. The   
  
sorcerer looked down on it all, and looked at the Outworld soldiers preparing below. Each one   
  
raising flags and chopping down trees, preparing food and raising beams, tents houses pavilions.  
  
"It won't be long now" thought the sorcerer to himself. The sky was awash with gray now and   
  
it started bit by bit to gently rain. The drops came gently down and spluttered on his jet black   
  
robes "My master awaits, and when I complete his wishes he will open the portal to the heavens   
  
for me, so that I might reign over this realm forever... I shall not disappoint him, now with Goro in   
  
my hands I shall be unstoppable"  
  
He turned suddenly, whirling his cloak round and set off back down the slope. Weeds and   
  
brambles passing him by, under his feet or beside him. Before him down the other side of the tall   
  
slope, he could see faintly below him, the long lines of dragon flags stretching out into the   
  
distance, raising one by one, almost a carpet for the emperor, there was a space in between   
  
them all where he would walk, or indeed, would the emperor walk?  
  
  
  
The waves rocked back and forth as a great ship came into the bay. The mast stretched   
  
eerily up into the dull sky, the clouds a haze of grays soon to be black. There was a man at the   
  
front of the ship, a blue ninja. His clothes were the dress of a great warrior, black stripes covering   
  
different parts of his blue silky costume. He smiled to himself, looking at the outstretching waves,   
  
that lead up to the island in the distance.  
  
"So you've come for the tournament as well?" said a voice from behind him. The blue figure   
  
looked around, to see his double standing before him. Except this one was dressed in yellow, but   
  
with the same black stripes, the same black dark stripes... Both of their faces were hidden under   
  
hoods, and only their eyes remained, their mouth covered by a piece of cloth, yellow or blue   
  
depending on their preference.  
  
"Yes… of course" smiled the ninja "I thought you'd have figured me out"  
  
The blue ninja had a much more firm voice than the other, the yellow ninja's eyes were white   
  
and had no color, his voice was hazy like the sound of a shuffling animal in the mist of a misty   
  
grave. He looked almost as if he were dead…  
  
"It wasn't exactly hard you know" smiled the yellow figure "This is the last tournament that the   
  
earth will ever see, I expected it to be on your honor… and mine to face me here," the ninja   
  
paused and examined the fighter before him "Don't die before I kill you… Subzero"  
  
Subzero smiled and turned round to look out to see. He leaned against the boat edge, the   
  
sky lit up, and a few seconds later thunder rumbled in the distance. The rain that was on   
  
Shangtsung finally caught up with them "And what would you do if I died?"  
  
The ninja paused like a ghost and remained silent for awhile "I wouldn't let you destroy my   
  
honor, I wouldn't let you die… yet"  
  
"What would you do If I slit my wrists Scorpion? Or froze my self to death as soon as I   
  
arrived on the island? Or even what if I jumped of this very boat, to drown in the sea?"  
  
Scorpion smiled and looked Subzero up and down "You wouldn't have the guts to do that"   
  
he laughed, the sound seemed to echo on the waves. Subzero smiled "Wouldn't I?" he stood up   
  
suddenly on the boat edge "What have I got to lose?"  
  
Scorpion snarled suddenly "Don't! My honor is at stake! Please!" he suddenly knelt before   
  
the ninja in an almost mad like state "You killed my family, and your life is but a mortal one…   
  
mine is cursed to remain Immortal, if you die before the tournament, then I shall be cursed to   
  
remain, dishonored for ever"  
  
Subzero smiled "So your entire afterlife rests on killing me at the right moment… that's   
  
funny" chuckled the ninja, skipping back and forth like a tight rope walker, on the slippery wet   
  
boat edge. The boat suddenly jerked and Subzero wobbled for a second regaining his balance.  
  
"So all these years that you've been chasing me, you weren't actually aloud to kill me?"  
  
Scorpion looked up with shining eyes, lightning flashed and it rained more heavily, the   
  
electricity flickered from the sky across his eyes "No" he whispered.  
  
"Then don't let me die now" said Subzero, taking a gentle step back. He fell back with ease   
  
and a relaxed air. So simple, so easy.  
  
"Subzero!" screamed Scorpion with an unearthly noise rearing up with hands flying. The   
  
storm rumbled and Subzero felt the cold deathly waves coming up to meet him. He jerked   
  
suddenly , and swayed, his hands touching the front of the boat. His ankle was gripped tightly by   
  
a long chord of rope. A spear almost cutting into his thigh. He was lifted up abruptly and Scorpion   
  
threw him onto the deck with anger. The ninja's eyes were alight with flame.  
  
"Never do that again!" screamed the ninja, his eyes flickering under the wet rain water. The   
  
boat rocked. The yellow ninja burst into a roaring fire and was gone. The water splashed in   
  
various puddles, Subzero looked down into his hard cold reflection.  
  
Out of the roaring thunderstorm, lightning flickered and struck one of the masts of the near   
  
by ships. The people on bored shuddered and ducked for cover as sparks flew across the sea   
  
and scattered on the cold murky and deathly waves below. The ship rocked forward as it entered   
  
into the bay. Lightning flickered unreeling itself down the mast, and stopped behind some barrels.   
  
There was a long silence, the crew ran by, unknowing of the creature behind the storage. It   
  
coughed and spluttered for awhile with the sound of static electricity. The shadows lit up quietly   
  
with the light from the powerful electric charges and spasms.  
  
The figure stood up, a triangular head in the shadows "I… I am mortal" it whispered before   
  
bursting out into a coughing fit. Almost immediately it regretted saying the words, the fall from   
  
heaven had seriously wounded it, and the thought of being a mortal rather than the opposite,   
  
seemed to age it. It felt it's sore bloated body rotting around it. Putting one flickering hand on the   
  
barrels, it limped round cursing and coughing like some mad man and stumbled over to the side   
  
of the boat. It looked out into the distance, under the dull sky, the island moved softly nearer.  
  
"It's begun" smiled the deity resting its hands on the boat edge. Its powers over electricity   
  
were limited in this form, and he was slowly losing them. He could feel his mortal body losing the   
  
god like power it once had, he lost most of the energy in the fall, he would have to preserve it to   
  
be able to destroy the Sorcerer, and then he could bring back his powers, and take over as Grand   
  
master fairly.  
  
Someone came running along the boat, he slipped once and fell on his back, over a   
  
puddle, he cried out in pain. He had a young face, with black trousers, and a matching shirt made   
  
of a soft easy material. The demi god didn't move, nor look at the person, it was a waist of what   
  
precious energy had left.  
  
The poor person groaned, his back to the floor boards, he was lucky the fall hadn't been   
  
worse. If it had, he would have been disabled for the tournament "Are you ok Mr?" he said coming   
  
over to the triangular headed person. You could see him more clearly now, now that he was out   
  
of the shadows and had his back to the sea. The sky was quieting down now, as if the driving   
  
force of the storm had left it on vacation. The creature had a pointed straw hat on, and a white   
  
carefully fitted clothing, with a black belt. A small black bag was attached to his belt.  
  
"Sir?" repeated the other in the black trousers, he was quite muscular under that t-shirt.   
  
You could see the ripples under the cloth. The straw hat dipped and turned it's owner reluctantly   
  
in the mortal's direction.  
  
"Do you want something?" came the voice from under the hat, it rippled with pure power. A   
  
flicker of electricity coursed down his body, but the other thought he had imagined it.  
  
"Sorry for being so rood" came the reply "My name is Liu Kang" he paused extending a   
  
had, he withdrew it realizing the other not to be too friendly "didn't you see the lightning hit the   
  
mast just now? I'm sure If I'm not mistaken that I saw it hit you!"  
  
"I don't think so" smiled the other. His cap flickered, but the owner tilted it and the cap tilted   
  
the owner.  
  
"If I may… what's your name?" continued Liu Kang determined to make a friend out of this   
  
person. He seemed awfully ignorant, or as the master used to say ignorant but untroubled. He   
  
couldn't imagine that this person whoever he was hadn't noticed the huge flash of lightning, Liu   
  
couldn't believe that he had missed the figure when boarding the ship.  
  
"My name's Rayden if it's any significance to you" he returned like a noble.  
  
"Really?" gasped Liu Kang as if he had suddenly understood "What a coincidence, the   
  
Shaolin monks have a god called Rayden, a god of thunder… so ironic that I would find a person   
  
just like him in a thunder storm" he chuckled to himself. Rayden smiled and bit his lip "Ironic …   
  
isn't it" he returned.  
  
  
  
A red eye watched from the shadows, he could see her on the other boat with his   
  
binoculars. The infrared half of his vision turned on her, and he could see her heat. Suddenly the   
  
boat rocked and the man looked away over to the boat behind this one. A huge streak of lightning   
  
struck the mast and traveled down it, sparks flying too and throw.  
  
He turned his eyes back on her again, the light flashed on his metallic face. He had white   
  
clothing on like a profit, it was neatly trimmed and fitted him well. He moved out of the darkness   
  
as the ship rocked and turned to a person who stood silently next to him.  
  
"She's here" he said in a husky voice "I want her off my back in this tournament"  
  
"No problemo" returned the other, he had dark black, clean shaven hair, almost like the   
  
other with the Metallic face might have looked had, he not had that terrible accident so many   
  
years ago. He had on a yellowy leather jacket with green trousers that didn't go. He seemed   
  
strong and not as youthful, yet had a playfulness about him, some hidden kindness that would   
  
likely never show, which weakened him in comparison to the other.  
  
"Don't you worry Kano… I'll get rid of her, just tell me when"  
  
The sea passed under the boat below as it rocked from side to side. The boat tossed and   
  
turned and Kano turned back into the shadows and walked off his metallic face shining when it   
  
caught the little light that there was under the dull sky.  
  
"Put these away some place Jarek" he said handing the binoculars to the man "We'll   
  
need them later for surveying the island"  
  
"Right boss" smiled Jarek, holding them in his hands "That place must be loaded with   
  
forgotten treasure"  
  
Kano grunted and walked slowly away. Jarek watched him leave, and slowly turned to   
  
the boat edge. He rested his arms on the wooden ledge and looked over to the other boat, the   
  
figure of the young female coming into view. He smiled secretly to himself, she was almost too   
  
cute to waist… almost. Another figure approached her and she turned around distractedly.   
  
Another challenger in the tournament by the looks of it.  
  
Jerek thought for a moment about telling the boss, but as he watched, he didn't seem to   
  
be connected with her in anyway… Kano needn't know, and besides this person looked no threat   
  
at all. Jarek gave a smug grin, and with a grunt turned away and headed into the cabins, of the   
  
dark boat.  
  
She was stealing a gaze out to see at that moment in time, she didn't manage to glance   
  
at the other boat, where Kano and Jarek lay in wait. They were of course the people she was   
  
after, the Special Forces badge her guide in life, she could trust her self with it not to weaken in   
  
the knees when danger was near, or shudder when entering a criminal hide out. Her name was   
  
Sonja blaze, Special Forces agent, and combat expert. She looked over the waves to the   
  
approaching island, Kano was near she could almost smell him. This whole scheme stank of   
  
some corrupted and vile black dragon plot, to access some forgotten treasure through the   
  
tournament. She'd enjoy the moment when she could pry her hands personally round that   
  
criminals neck and choke the very living daylights out of him. That would be the one moment   
  
when she'd forget her "law" and "order" when she'd place her badge softly on the ground and   
  
squeeze, and squeeze. Perhaps she'd start by breaking a simple rib, or leg bone, and then work   
  
through the other 205 painfully and slowly. By the time she would have finished, she'd double the   
  
amount he had.  
  
She stretched her hands out pensively trying to crack the knuckles, and when that didn't   
  
work she bent them back against the boat edge, hoping for that satisfying clicking sound. Her   
  
hands became wet from the soaked wood and so she dried them on her blue jeans.  
  
"What's a nice girl like you doing on a horrid boat like this?" said a voice from behind her.   
  
Sonja sighed, and turned around slowly, trying ever patiently to crack those knuckles. This was   
  
not what she needed at this time of evening. She felt slightly queasy from the rocking of the boat,   
  
and someone like this was just the kind of person to finish the job and make her throw up with   
  
disgust and distaste. He was wearing smart black clothes, that hinted that he had some martial   
  
arts skills, but they looked too expensive.   
  
"Hasn't that chat up line been used before? Now what do you want, your wasting my   
  
time"   
  
"By the looks of it, at the moment you don't have time to waist" said the man leaning back   
  
on one foot and folding his arms, he had dark glasses, and that black suit suggested he was   
  
someone who had an oversized budget for treating himself "I just thought you could do with some   
  
company" he smiled.  
  
"Well you thought wrong" returned Sonja "I don't like people who wear suits, I don't like   
  
people who creep up on me, I don't like boats because I feel sea sick on them, I don't like today,   
  
and I don't like you, so presuming the fact that your chances of getting off with me are now zero, I   
  
think you'd better retreat"  
  
The well dressed man widened his eyes and took a step back "Geez, no one's ever said   
  
that to me before" he stuttered a little too loudly, later on afterwards he couldn't even understand   
  
why he had said that line.  
  
"Oh didums" returned Sonja briefly, with a wavy hand gesture "Learn to accept it, not   
  
everyone sees your limited and obnoxious way of thinking, not everyone feels like being friends   
  
with you the moment you meet them so just take a walk, as I said, I'm busy"  
  
"Do you know who I am?" continued the man, this time aiming for a morally recovering   
  
apology and autograph.  
  
"Jesus, what do you take for a no? No I don't like you and whether you told me you were   
  
the president of the United States I still wouldn't look at you any better"  
  
"My name's Jonny Cage, the famous movie star, I've been starring in several of the   
  
Channy Jack films, I'm a world name"  
  
"Screw off" she said swinging round to the rim of the boat.  
  
"Apology accepted… what?"  
  
"Screw off, your movies were crap and I don't want to see another one"  
  
Jonny cage opened his mouth, slowly and then very slowly closed it. Sonja with an air of   
  
success seeing her defeated adversary, swung round and rested her elbows on the boat edge   
  
watching out towards the island as if the conversation hadn't happened.  
  
The defeated movie star stood there for a second, and just gawked. How was this   
  
possible? He had never had such a harsh and uncalled for reaction in his life! This was in sane!   
  
Impossible unthinkable that even after he'd been added up and judged she still disregarded him   
  
as a moron. He was a rich Hollywood actor.  
  
He turned to go, and took a few steps away. Sonja groaned and tilted her head in a   
  
humpth, she swung her hair back so that it didn't droop over the edge. He paused but suddenly   
  
came back quickly and leaned his elbow on the rim, getting as dangerously close as he thought   
  
was possible.  
  
"Can I at least have your name, if not your friendship?"  
  
Sonja sighed real slow, opened her mouth and turning her head, a demonic army of fowl   
  
insults resting on the tip of her tongue before she decided that they were too horrible to unleash   
  
upon the world. She closed her mouth quickly and simply replied with an air of true resistance   
  
"Sonja blaze, special forces, a pleasure to meet you Mr Cage, now take a walk"  
  
"Nice to meet you too Miss Sonja, oh and nice name"  
  
"Quit it" she remarked not turning her head back in the imbecile's direction.  
  
He retreated slowly, moving his arms to his head in defeat. He scratched his fore head   
  
"remarkable" he muttered walking slowly away. Suddenly the bells sounded, they had arrived on   
  
the island. 


	2. Chapter 2: Into the Fray

The boats came slowly into the dark colorless skies of the docks. As Liu Kang   
  
looked down from the edge of the boat he was on, he could see the shore teaming with   
  
activity, and everywhere those same red warriors ran about organizing the beach. Rather   
  
than set anchor the boats had actually grounded ashore, perhaps they had a means of   
  
getting them out to sea later on? Or maybe, the worse of the ideas that passed through the   
  
monks head was, that they no longer needed the boats? He wasn't sure why they had   
  
chosen to do it that way, it certainly achieved one thing, speed. The soldiers he saw on   
  
the beach now seemed to surround him on the boat, previously unseen. All he had see   
  
before is would – be martial artists, except for that guy who called himself Rayden.  
  
The first thing that reached most of the contestants in the tournament was the sheer   
  
awe of the island and it's beauty. As they stepped off the boat, the dark clouds seemed to   
  
clear them selves into a sun lit haze of blossomed desert plants, that could only be   
  
associated and sustained with the supernatural. There was a high peek on the center of the   
  
island and down below it was a huge, black castle that seemed to somehow explain all of   
  
the beauty of the other parts of the island. It seemed that if something so horrid and   
  
demonic looking, the castle's black foundations leaning on the mountain so that it seemed   
  
as if it would topple (foundations not being the soul partner in it's standing), that this   
  
pinnacle of darkness might have sucked all the evil of the island into it, so that it alone   
  
held the darkness of the island, resulting in the sheer beauty of it's habitat and climate. It   
  
had an eerie feel to it, and was placed in such a way that there was hardly a point on the   
  
island that you could not see some part of it.  
  
Everything about this island seemed strange and unusual. Long wooden slopes   
  
came down suddenly lifted by the red soldiers, and rested on the sand and pebble ridden   
  
beach below. Kano turned quickly to his partner Jarek "Where are the rest of the men?"  
  
Jarek paused and looked back at the boat "Sir... I couldn't find any of them…   
  
they're all gone"  
  
Kano widened his eyes "You what!?" he gawked up at the huge black wooded boat   
  
behind him, the metal side of his face glinting in the newly shinning sun. He turned   
  
quickly back to Jarek "What happened to them all!?"  
  
"I don't know sir!" returned Jarek "I saw less of them the longer we stayed on that   
  
boat"  
  
"Never mind" spat Kano "Those cowards… they must have deserted after their sad   
  
behinds caught sight of this ship, I'll hunt everyone of them down when I return home   
  
and personally slit their throats … Jarek, perhaps you might consider some kind of   
  
appraisal, or raise in rank… I'll think about it"  
  
"Thank you sir" beamed Jarek a grin on his face.  
  
At the other end of the beach the blue ninja Subzero stepped of down the boat. What   
  
surprised him more was when there was nobody behind him. He had seen almost a dozen   
  
warriors on the boat but, now, he felt very alone as he got off. He felt his cold black shoes   
  
touch the sand, and they crunched, at his cold touch. He had been an assassin for a long   
  
time.  
  
It felt strange to be on solid ground again. As he looked along the beach, there were   
  
as little as 20 fighters, the rest were those red soldiers, who seemed to run the   
  
tournament. This was supposed to be a world event, yet there were no TV crews, and no   
  
spectators, except those soldiers. Each one with a well made and sharpened wooden   
  
spear. He cast his eyes over the beach looking for that dismal specter who so badly   
  
wanted to end his life. Subzero had really lost interest in it at the moment, he didn't even   
  
know why he had agreed to go into this tournament. Indeed the reward that his mystical   
  
agent would give him, would be well worth the trouble… but still, would he actually get   
  
it? Something shuffled passed his legs, and the ninja looked down to see a small scorpion   
  
run away off towards the castle. He should have squashed it while he had the chance.  
  
"Subzerosss" said a voice to his right. He turned his head quickly to see a ninja in   
  
green, the costume he had, had huge similarities to his own. There were no boats passed   
  
this ninja, only the rocky cliff face in the distant, Subzero had gotten off of the last boat.  
  
The green ninja, with the same black stripes on his costume repeated his name   
  
"Subzerosss, follow meehsss"  
  
Subzero did not utter a word, but followed the ninja, or creature, or whatever it was.   
  
He heard a quiet clicking under the mask, that hinted at some strange mutant or alien   
  
being. Their soft foot prints were left in the sand.  
  
Sonja came down from the boat, and instantly looked to her left, seeing the person   
  
she hated more than any other. She tensed her knuckles in anticipation, she couldn't wait   
  
to get her hands on him. She knew he was going to this tournament and now she could   
  
finally take out the leader of the black dragon… not that that was her only reason for   
  
killing him. She clutched the pistol in her back pocket, and took out quickly. She aimed   
  
slowly and stealthily towards the criminal, he had a person with him, no matter, he wasn't   
  
important. She took the gun and aimed slowly to the fleshy part, of his face, she couldn't   
  
have any mistakes. Suddenly the gun flew out of her hand from a jolt, a green ninja stood   
  
before her. He held the weapon in his hands he suddenly spat on it, a lime green bile like   
  
liquid dissolving the weapon away.  
  
"You Idiot!" screamed Sonja Blade aiming a kick at his head, hands stopped her,   
  
and she felt a swinging motion as she fell to the ground and an awkward twist. Quickly   
  
she rolled to a side and got up aiming another blow before the movie star stopped her and   
  
held her back from behind.  
  
"Hey! Calm down!" he interrupted holding her tightly, his sun glasses flickering in   
  
the now bright sun.  
  
"Let Go of me Now!" she ranted aiming her elbows at his head and missing.  
  
"What's this all about?" continued Jonny cage, holding her tighter than before.  
  
"No fighting before the tournamentss" hissed the green ninja "No fightingsss,   
  
master's orderssss"  
  
"Let Go of me now or I swear you'll regret it!"  
  
"Alright, but don't do anything rash" returned the movie star stepping back, Sonja   
  
with the released force sprung forward onto her face to the ground. She lifted her head   
  
spitting sand "Stupid idiot I almost had him" she said, coughing and spluttering.  
  
"Who did you have?" persisted Jonny standing over her.  
  
"Never you mind!" she growled standing up and glaring at the lime ninja who had   
  
stopped her. Subzero stepped forward suddenly his blue silky uniform looking icy cold,   
  
his face untarnished from the sun's rays, always burning, but burning cold.  
  
"Is this a bad time?" he intervened "For us to introduce ourselves?" he said with an   
  
icy breath.  
  
Jonny cage smiled, glancing quickly at Sonja "Sure go ahead, we don't have   
  
anything better to do"  
  
Subzero forced a grin under his mask, it didn't show through his icy covers, had it,   
  
he might have presented himself a little more friendly in the eyes of the others, if that   
  
emotional barrier the mask hadn't been there.  
  
"My name is Subzero" said the Icy ninja "It is a pleasure to meet you, I presume we   
  
will be competing together?"  
  
"The names Cage" smiled the movie star "Jonny Cage"  
  
"Ah the movie star" muttered Subzero to himself "Who's she?" he continued as if   
  
Sonja wasn't fit to say her own name. Her face was sandy and she glanced briefly over at   
  
Kano "I can say my own name" she interrupted before Mr Cage could smash out some   
  
more punch lines.  
  
"My name's Sonja Blade, that's all I'm willing to say, the rest is top secret"  
  
"Oh you don't need to say the rest" said Subzero shaking his head "I know all   
  
about you from the databases at the Linquei, you'll be after me no doubt when I leave this   
  
island…"  
  
"Ah, another criminal" grunted Sonja "Well luckily for you, I'm not interested in   
  
what your doing, that's not what I'm paid for, and besides, I've got bigger fish to fry"  
  
"Hasn't that line been used before?" interrupted Jonny Cage, taking of his glasses   
  
"Who are you?" he said turning to the ninja in green.  
  
"Reptile" it returned "I'll be leading you to your quarters on the island… I work for   
  
master Shangtsung, if you pleasessss, as much as this pleasesss me to see you   
  
conversssing, I would likes it if you woulds follow me now, pleasesss"  
  
It said each word with a thousand S's with special emphasis on the word please.   
  
Subzero looking from one to the other interrupted again "I don't think you people really   
  
know what kind of tournament this is do you?"  
  
Jonny cage looked back over at him "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Mortal Kombat…" he paused with Icy eyes and a far away look "hmm, lets just   
  
say that not many of us will have the chance to win this tournament, or indeed, leave this   
  
tournament… If I may, I'd like to wish each of you the best of luck… assuredly some of   
  
you are going to die"  
  
"The only person who's going to be dieing around here is that scumbag Kano"   
  
intervened Sonja.  
  
"If you pleasesss, pleasesss follow me now, we ares waisting times, we ares"  
  
It was a long clime up to the black castle. They passed pavilions and tents, and   
  
flags and buildings and paths, the strangest thing was how they all seemed brand new,   
  
built seemingly over night. The pathway brought them round past the most beautiful and   
  
exotic flowers many of them had ever seen. Subzero caught a glimpse of something in the   
  
bushes now and again, a bird with a strange dead look on it's face, or a quick scorpion   
  
would rush across the earthy path, and he would always be reminded that Scorpion the   
  
specter was after him. The sky was a deep blue now over head, it seemed to be changing.   
  
The path wound ever onwards up towards the dark recesses of the castle that loomed   
  
above them.  
  
The gate way that they saw as they turned the corner was a large draw bridge that   
  
stretched old Oak wood out across a bottomless Abyss below. Mist was rising up from   
  
beneath, as though it lead directly down to the Neatherealm. There was a large group of   
  
fighters now, and also a large platoon of those same red soldiers.  
  
They crossed the bridge, their footsteps making a dull and quiet thumping sound as   
  
they went over. The port way seemed dark even to the moment they were right next to it,   
  
then suddenly as each on stepped through, the inside of the castle would suddenly   
  
brighten so that you could see all of it. There was a long hallway inside, with an isle of   
  
pillars stretching out into the distance as far as they could see. It was not particularly   
  
warm inside either.  
  
The red soldiers separated suddenly and ran apart. Each one steadied himself by a   
  
pillar waited, there were not enough of them to fill the hall though, it seemed the endless   
  
hall. An old man in a black cloak came out from behind one of the pillars, he walked as   
  
smartly as he could across to the center of the hall and then stood in front of the twenty or   
  
so fighters who had entered the tournament.  
  
Among them, could be seen, Subzero, Scorpion, he stood at the very back,   
  
watching and waiting always a specter. Liu Kang the shaolin monk who stood at the side,   
  
Rayden who was somewhere in the middle, Sonja Jonny Cage, who presently and   
  
stylishly took off his glasses, and Kano with Jarek. He was not happy that his men had   
  
gone missing.  
  
Reptile stood forward quickly and turned to the fighters "If you pleasesss, this is   
  
masters Shangtsung, he is the grand master of thises great and humble tournament"  
  
He then turned round again and bowed to the sorcera, Jonny Cage almost expected   
  
him to go up and kiss his feet.  
  
"Welcome fighters" interrupted Shangtsung in a snake like voice "This place will   
  
be your dwellings for the nights that you stay here alive" he took a few steps across the   
  
room his black sleeves folded behind his back, he stole a glance across at Rayden with   
  
suspicion, eyeing up the straw hat with distaste "The first of the fights will happen   
  
tomorrow, each of you will be informed by Reptile when it is your turn to enter the arena,   
  
please be prepared as this could happen at any time… are there any questions?"  
  
"How much prize money is there?" asked Kano gruffly, Sonja looked over at him   
  
with hate.  
  
"Is that all you think about?" she snarled  
  
"No baby, when I win this tournament, I'll be thinking how much you'd cost"  
  
"Why you!"  
  
"Enough!" shouted the sorcera "A good question… the prize money, is more gold   
  
than you could possibly imagine Kano, the whole of this island, with it's treasures and   
  
ancient artifacts will pass into the winners hands, I am growing old, yet I have never been   
  
beaten yet… it is nice to see confidence in your young faces" he turned away with a   
  
smile "Once you get to be as old as me, you see things repeat themselves over history, I   
  
have always been a dabbler with the fates of the world, if any of you ever have any   
  
studurious questions you would like to ask, you can find me in the tallest tower, I do   
  
enjoy the job of a tutor, I have a vast library at my disposal…" the sorcera turned looking   
  
slowly from one to the other "though I suppose that wouldn't interest you young people,   
  
Reptile, take them to their rooms, I have work to do"  
  
Reptile ushered the party off to the side to a previously unnoticed stair case. "Feels   
  
like *ucking summer camp" grunted Kano walking up the steps.  
  
"Are Kano baby?" mocked Sonja only a couple of steps below "Are you regretting   
  
this already? It's only just begun!"  
  
"Yeah yeah , seeing your face is enough to turn anybody off, just like your ugly   
  
mother"  
  
Sonja fell silent and looked up at the Gangster's back with needles in her eyes. She   
  
grunted, a touch of water coming to her eyes and headed on up the steps. Liu Kang   
  
stopped at the stair case and waited, he looked around, where was Rayden? He spotted   
  
him across one of the pillars, he was talking to Shangtsung.  
  
"How is your master? Kahn doing?" asked the white clothed form of Rayden, his   
  
face a shadow under the dark maskish straw hat that covered his silver hair.  
  
Shangtsung smiled his hands behind his back, the gargoyles looked down from the   
  
upholstery beams above them.  
  
"Kahn is living in his own hell" the sorcerer laugthed as if amused at the question "I   
  
never thought you would enter mortal kombat… Rayden… and such a bitter sacrifice, I   
  
never knew you classed my tournament so highly… are you disappointed I managed to   
  
keep the title of grand master?"  
  
"You could say that" returned the other, a flicker of electricity going down his body,   
  
it had happened less since the boat "I try not to lie in my position, but the Earth Realm   
  
has become more of an interest to me as time goes on … my past is littered with   
  
destruction, I think I would like to look into that more, I would not like to see this realm   
  
fall into the hands of my brother"  
  
"Neither would I to tell the truth, but in my case the Omlette is much tastier than the   
  
egg" said the sorcera stretching back his hair and letting it fall.  
  
"As I presumed" returned Rayden "I myself would like to use the position as Grand   
  
master to change the rules, and allow gods and beings from the astral plains to enter the   
  
tournament, if Kahn wants to take this realm he can do it fairly through a tournament   
  
with his own hands"  
  
"I thought this system was very fair" chuckled Shangtsung "If the elder gods hadn't   
  
interfered, then there would only have been one tournament deciding the face of the   
  
realm, and seeing as we have one 9…"  
  
"Rayden are you coming?" called Liukang.  
  
"Is he your servent?" whispered the sorcera.  
  
"No just a petty Shaolin monk" returned the god "they worship me for the time I   
  
drove Shinnoch out of the Earth Realm long ago, he suspects nothing of my true identity"  
  
Liu Kang came up to the two "I still know very little about you Rayden, why don't   
  
you tell me more?" he asked with a smile. Rayden gave the sorcerer a sarcastic look and   
  
then reluctantly followed the monk away to the steps. Shangtsung watched them go, and   
  
caught a glimpse of a flickering of electricity in the thunder gods eyes, the combined   
  
darkness of the shadows and the god's straw hat making them ever more real in the   
  
darkness.  
  
A figure came from the darkness, with four huge arms, Shangtsung turned quickly "I   
  
thought I told you to stay in the dungeon?"  
  
"I wanted to see them for myself" replied the half dragon "There is no harm in that,   
  
they seem a weak bunch to me"  
  
Shangtsung looked away again to the steps "Watch the man with the hat… he's not   
  
from this plain … don't underestimate him Goro, if anyone succeeds to challenge you in   
  
this tournament, then it will be him"  
  
"Understood master" he replied solemnly and sunk back into the shadows.   
  
Shangtsung stood there for awhile, and then abruptly headed off towards the end of the   
  
hall, that seemingly went on for ever. You could see him walking for a long time.  
  
The quarters they had lead to were far apart and hard to remember the locations of.   
  
They were drafty and cold but comfortable, a strange combination. Many of them were   
  
high up in the castle in the various turrets and towers that were about the roof ways.   
  
There seemed to be a perpetual storm out side of every window, and lightning flickered   
  
across every horizon. It was very strange seeing as when they had walked in, the sun had   
  
been shining.  
  
The quarter Subzero was in was very dark, with black demonic furniture and dark   
  
black stone walls, like some mansion or castle from a horror movie. There was a terrace   
  
with the shutters wide open and he could see it through the misty mirror. He wiped his   
  
hand across it and stared at his face. It looked different, different to the scar on his   
  
brothers face.  
  
The terrace flickered in the mirror as Subzero watched the rain outside pelt down.   
  
What would become of his life now? He had no chance to destroy Scorpion? He was a   
  
ghost after all. What could he do against the powers of a ghost. The blue mask encased   
  
his face, and his emotions. He was doomed to fight against someone who would surely   
  
defeat him, was there no other way. He walked over to the terrace, and walked through   
  
the shutters. He felt the rain on his head, and saw the lightning strike down somewhere on   
  
the island. Was the storm real or an illusion? The water felt very real, yet it was already   
  
night? And daylight when he had entered the castle.  
  
He looked down away down the mountainside and into the sea, the boats were gone   
  
now, who knows where they went. He wasn't even sure if it was that beach they had   
  
landed on. Below him all he could see was darkness, it must have been a long way to the   
  
ground.  
  
"Don't even think about it" whispered a voice in his ear. Subzero looked up quickly   
  
to find a dark figure crouching on the roof above him like a gargoyle. Blue eyes flashed   
  
menacingly as the storm raged on.  
  
"Scorpion?" stuttered Subzero "Is it that time already?"  
  
"No you fool it's me, a messenger from the Neatherealm, the shadow master   
  
Noobsaibot, my master has asked me to help you destroy Shangtsung and even Scorpion"  
  
The Shadow moved, a patch of darkness itself. It moved from one side of the roof   
  
to the other and stared down threateningly. 


	3. Chapter 3: A warming before the Cold

At mid day the bells wrung aloud and the fighters were brought in to eat inside the   
  
great hall. Whenever they came into it, they always seemed to be in a different part,   
  
sometimes the door would be closer, some times it would be further away from them. At   
  
meal times, the table seemed to appear in the middle of the room, a huge great oak thing,   
  
the gargoyles stared down as if they would suddenly pounce down and feast on the meal   
  
provided. Shangtsung was at the head of the table and greeted each of the fighters as they   
  
arrived assorted by one of the red soldiers. Sonja came, Rayden came unescorted, the   
  
same with Scorpion, Kano arrived with a smug grin on his face, and Jonny cage with   
  
sunglasses flashing.  
  
One of the soldiers walked up to the sorcerer and whispered in his ear, only Liu   
  
Kang noticed, the look of puzzlement on the man's face. He looked around, and then   
  
whispered something back and pointed towards the stair case. The soldier bowed and   
  
hurried off into the Shadows. Shangtsung then stood up before the long line of fighters,   
  
and gave a small bow.  
  
"Please eat whatever you desire, I wish to keep you well before your challenges, in   
  
future I won't be joining you at these meals, but do not fear, if any of you need my help I   
  
shall be again in the tallest tower at the end of this hall, please, eat and let this banquet   
  
prepared to us by the servants of the humble Kahn begin"  
  
The hall was warm now, and Liu Kang casting his eyes over the people down the   
  
table noticed the light at the end of the hall. It was sunny outside through the draw bridge.   
  
Looking down the row he noticed someone familiar who he had not noticed before… he   
  
had a red cloth on, that wrapped around him tightly with golden ribbed edges. They left a   
  
gap for the onlooker to see his chest, which was strong, his head bald, and eyes sharp.  
  
Liu Kang had met him before, a black belt round his waist, he was a very powerful   
  
Shaolin monk.  
  
"Hrusa!" he called "is that you?"  
  
The bald headed man looked up quickly with an irritated look "Who the hell are   
  
you?" he replied, pronging his fork down into a piece of chicken. The banquet was   
  
delicious. Strawberries, with excellently prepared meat and stuffing, and some kind of   
  
sweet drink that tasted like nectar.  
  
"I'm Liu Kang!" returned the other looking down passed the table. Shangtsung   
  
looked up quickly, there had been little conversation until now.  
  
"Oh yes, I know you" returned the other with a hearty laugh "Your that fighter I met   
  
in the Wu Shu class! How are your fingers?"  
  
"Better smiled Liu Kang" his voice not as deep as the other, but he felt prepared   
  
now. He remembered the Wu Shu class well, Hrusa had been an expert at the technique,   
  
while Liu Kang had been but a beginner, he could hardly manage two fingers let alone   
  
one.  
  
"How is your technique?" smiled Liu Kang "Are you still excelling?"  
  
Hrusa laughed so loudly that most of the table looked up "I would if I could use less   
  
than one finger, but you see that would be a little difficult"  
  
Shangtsung smiled as warmly as his old face would allow "I'm glad you two have   
  
met each other… I hope your friendship won't disrupt your abilities in the tournament, I   
  
would hate for one of you to make any unnecessary sacrifices"  
  
Hrusa laugthed again with a great boom of sound that echoed down the deep   
  
expanses of the hall "Don't you worry Mr Grand master, Liu Kang and me are like peas   
  
and pies or whatever you foreigners call it, none of us are going to be deeply regretful   
  
over the other if one of us wins"  
  
"I'm glad to hear it" smiled the sorcerer, sticking his fork into a pea "I hope one of   
  
you is prepared to lose, of course you must realize that you can't both challenge me"  
  
"I understand" smiled Liu Kang "It's not the end of the world though, Life goes on,   
  
we won't be unhappy at the other's success"  
  
"Indeed" returned the Sorcerer "But would you be upset at the other's failure? Now   
  
that is the question I think you should both dwell upon"  
  
Hrusa again spoke out loudly, so that his chest went up and down with laughter like   
  
a drum "You sound like the wise men back at Shaolin!" he boomed "Always a wiser   
  
saying than I could think up on a rainy afternoon, If I knew what you meant by it I might   
  
be the wiser for it, but as I am I can only sit by it!"  
  
Several people chuckled including strangely enough Kano. Sonja had her head   
  
rested on the table, and she idly poked the chicken.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Jonny Cage who sat two spaces down the table. In between   
  
them was a large wrestler, who stuffed his face with the meal available to him.  
  
"Nothing" replied Sonja stroking her hair back "I'm just not hungry" she stared   
  
over at Kano as if his presence was like a bad odor that made the food taste bad. The blue   
  
ninja Subzero who Jonny had met on the beach presently came out from behind a pillar   
  
and walked up to the table.  
  
"Sorry I'm late" he sighed sitting down near the far end of the table where   
  
Shangtsung sat.  
  
"Have no fear" returned Shangtsung turning to the Linquei assassin "there is plenty   
  
of food left, help yourself, I hope that this tournament shall be all of your finest hours,   
  
that's why I shall not be strict if any of you choose to miss a meal time"  
  
"I like your style" grunted Kano ripping the meat off of the chicken leg in his   
  
mouth, he smiled and grinned his red eye flashing "This place is almost paradise, do you   
  
have any rules here?"  
  
Shangtsung's lip curled into a smile and he chuckled a little as if he was an old   
  
man by the fire talking to the young children "Oh yes we do have some rules here… but   
  
most I don't think many of you would know even how to break" he paused and sipped   
  
the sweet liquid out of a large golden chalice his weak old hands almost struggling with   
  
the strain "The only rule you should worry about is no fighting before the challenges,   
  
there will be plenty of room for that later, Reptile and his men will in force this at all   
  
times as some of you may have found out" he glanced briefly at Sonja with a nasty look   
  
before looking back at his meal.  
  
"The loss of one of you before the appropriate time could seriously damage the   
  
reputation and, even sorely the outcome of this great and historic tournament"  
  
The sorcerer didn't speak for awhile and the conversation left his end of the table.   
  
Suddenly a good time later when most of what had been prepared had been drunk, and   
  
the other eaten, he suddenly spoke almost out of context pointing to Hrusa.  
  
"You Hrusa and you Max will be fighting next, Reptile will lead the way"  
  
The conversation stopped like a bad air had been hit. Max was the wrestler in   
  
between Sonja and Jonny who had been stuffing himself with food "Me?" he murmered,   
  
looking over at the Red Shaoling monk. The wrestler's hair was brown and curly, like his   
  
neatly trimmed beard.  
  
"If I may ask" interrupted Liu Kang "Is it ok for other's to watch the match?"  
  
"You dirty rat!" laughed Hrusa smacking the table with a chuckle "Your going to   
  
study my moves aren't you!"  
  
Shangtsung smiled and held his hand out sipping again at the chalice, the audience   
  
waited for him to finish.  
  
"Yes, you may, I see no harm in that" he said "As I said, I like to keep the rules   
  
relaxed"  
  
Hrusa chuckled and eyes Liu Kang and then Shangtsung "I hope I get a chance to   
  
study his moves" he smiled.  
  
"Of course you will" smiled Shangtsung "Don't be over confident though, you   
  
might not even beat Max here" he said shuffling his black robes "Is everybody finished?"  
  
There was a murmur of agreement that passed it's way down the table from one to   
  
the other, seeing his party satisfied with the results the sorcerer Shangtsung stood up   
  
abruptly and whistled to the side of the room. The Soldiers came in and started to clear   
  
away the plates from the large table piece by piece of crockery spoons knives forks.  
  
The party stood up, and someone was heard to murmur "What now?"  
  
"You may all return to your quarters" returned the Sorcerer "Those involved in the   
  
first fight have one hour to prepare"  
  
The table cleared it'self and the people who were now familiarized with their own   
  
apartments headed that way. Some such as Hrusia who was a little shocked at the   
  
abruptness and swiftness of the first challenge needed swift assistance. Rayden eyed   
  
Shangtsung suspiciously and then turned away. The table soon was cleared of people and   
  
cutlery, the table amazingly was lifted by the soldiers who took it in between the pillars   
  
and into the shadows. Shangtsung walked briefly away this time in the opposite direction   
  
of last time, this time he headed to the light from the open door. A soft breeze came from   
  
that direction. Liu Kang came over to him swiftly "Wait!" he called.  
  
The old man turned resting on his stave which strangely had not been noticed at the   
  
dinner table "Yes Liu Kang?" he asked.  
  
"Can you show me the way to the arena? I am not at all used to the vast expanses of   
  
this island, I'd appreciate it if you would help me"  
  
"Of course" returned the black figure, taking his arm round the shoulder of Liu Kang   
  
who felt very uneasy "I would be happy to show you to the arena"  
  
"How do you propose I defeat a ghost?" whispered Subzero to the shadows, in a   
  
distant corridor. It was a large castle and the corridors and passageways walk ways   
  
seemed almost limitless to the expanses. There was so much space. The blue eyes in the   
  
darkness moved and blinked.  
  
"Master Shinnoch wants you to succeed, Subzero, be happy in that… he is not happy   
  
that Kahn should invade another realm, as should you be"  
  
Subzero moved aside, and with slow and growing anger smashed his hand against   
  
the wall, which immediately cracked and dented, a shower of ice freezing the place where   
  
he had attacked at "You didn't answer the question" snapped Subzero turning back.  
  
"Calm down Subzero" said the blue eyes moving in the darkness, blinking and   
  
shifting "All in good time, I shall find you aid to defeat Scorpion, but in return you must   
  
help me free my master from the Neatherealm, the reward will be great"  
  
"Of course" smiled Subzero "As long as he doesn't destroy this realm, a reward's   
  
worth nothing, if it hasn't got anything to rest on"  
  
Noobsaibot smiled from the shadows and spoke in a whisper "Your very wise for a   
  
Linquei agent, I heard they have plans for automation… how do you feel about that?"  
  
Subzero laughed "I don't give a dam what they do, I'm retiring after this job, they   
  
won't have me"  
  
"Aye" whispered Noobsaibot "But they may have your brother, and his friend   
  
Smoke… how would you feel about that?"  
  
Subzero fingered the crack in the wall "Is that a threat?" he chuckled "I don't do   
  
threats, and it isn't a good one, I gave my brother that scar he has across his eye and I'd   
  
gladly give him another one if the chance arose… why the hell did you mention him   
  
anyway?"  
  
"Just testing your weaknesses" returned the Shadow figure "I'll see what I can do"  
  
The figure with a strange hissing noise sank into the ground and the twin blue eyes   
  
disappeared into the shadowy depths. Subzero looked on for a moment, and then in anger   
  
punched the wall again, a shower of ice and water vapor hissing out.  
  
Shangtsung lead the way across the draw bridge, he took his arm gently away from   
  
the Shaolin monk and he felt a lot better. Steam rose up gently from the dark Abyss under   
  
the drawbridge as they took a pretty woodland path down towards the Arena, that   
  
Shangtsung knew the where abouts of.  
  
"Have you run this tournament long?" asked Liu Kang absently. He noticed the   
  
same red soldiers, seeming to come out of nowhere. They followed, and even appeared   
  
out of the trees, soon there was quite a few of them heading in the same direction, like   
  
cattle on the move to better waters.  
  
"Indeed a very long time" returned the Sorcerer "Longer than you've been alive I   
  
expect, why did you decide to enter my tournament?"  
  
Liu Kang shrugged his shoulders keeping his eyes on the surrounding red soldiers.   
  
They turned a bend in the road that was steeper and on of the soldiers almost lost his   
  
footing on a tree root. No one helped him gain his balance.  
  
"The people who used to own this tournament are good friends of mine" he smiled   
  
"They have done me many favors, their instructor Bo Rai Cho taught me how to wield   
  
fire through Chi, I wish to return the tournament to his linage"  
  
"A worthy cause" returned the Sorcerer "But I hope you realize that the tournament   
  
has changed somewhat since the old days, under my rules, the rules if you like have   
  
become slightly more relaxed, if you like the battles have become much more expanded   
  
in their styles"  
  
The arena came up ahead in front of them and Liu Kang saw below as the low trees   
  
parted, with their wonderful blossom and dessert flowers. The soil became more sandy as   
  
they came closer to the sea. From what Liu Kang could see of it, the arena was simply a   
  
large space of sand separated by a tall wooden fence that was as tall as two Goros,   
  
pointed stakes lined the sky. The soldiers suddenly spread out as if they were at one with   
  
each other and got to work at preparing the arena.  
  
Most of the work had already been done, but there must still have been the oblivious   
  
odd job to complete, Shangtsung took no notice of the soldiers as if all this was quite   
  
normal. They continued towards the arena at a normal pace. Several of the soldiers using   
  
long sheets of bendy bamboo pole vaulted the fence. As Shangtsung approached the great   
  
wall of logs, there was a grinding noise inside and a huge gate opened with a metal   
  
spiked bottom. The sandy expanses within were revealed.  
  
Rayden scurried across the corridors "where is it?" he spat a flicker of electricity   
  
lighting the darkness. He glanced across the ally ways and path ways trying to find what   
  
he was looking for "Where will that fool keep the portal?"  
  
The hat straightened his direction and he turned another corner, always looking out   
  
for a place in the darkness. The castle was huge, and even to his senses seemed   
  
confusing, he felt always like he was going in circles. Reptile would be busy with the   
  
fight and wouldn't notice that he had gotten away, the thunder god wanted to know where   
  
that swirling mirage of colors was kept.  
  
He turned a corner and a dark steps lead down into a dungeon, he looked down into   
  
the depths, a few candles lighting the dark walls.  
  
"Are you going somewheresss?" whispered a voice behind him. The thunder man   
  
gave an impatient sigh and his hat turned him slowly around. Reptile stood there his arms   
  
crossed.  
  
"This place is outs of boundsss to the challengersss" hissed the reptilian voice from   
  
under that same green mask "You sees, it's dangerous down there, that's where masters   
  
keeps the beasts"  
  
"Oh really?" mocked Rayden "I didn't realize you'd escaped him"  
  
Reptile missed the insult and turned back the way the spark had come from "Follow   
  
me, I will show you the way back to your rooms I wills"  
  
Jarek looked more ragged now, as he crept up towards the arena, he took a look round   
  
the spike ridden door, but before he could enter it slammed shut. He saw two fighters in   
  
side preparing to duel "Dam it" he muttered "I just hope Kano ain't in there"  
  
He looked down with a fright and quickly dodged out of the way as a small Scorpion   
  
dodged through the sand and entered through a gap under the wooden stumps, the large   
  
electricity of crowd applause, racketed inside the arena. He tried to look in through the   
  
gap, but he could hardly see a thing.  
  
With a grunt he turned away and walked around the other side, he found a tall tree,   
  
with sickly pointed branches and few leaves, he started to climb it, putting his large knife   
  
in his mouth. He felt the sharp edges bite into his cheek. The wooden stumps pointed up   
  
into the air, and below he could see the crowd within. He hid himself carefully between   
  
the leaves so as not to be seen. He needed to know what this tournament was about.  
  
Liu Kang was seated as the two fighters came out, he had seen the red soldiers   
  
preparing over and over again. Inside the two fighters squared off in front of each other,   
  
and shook hands. As he looked across he noticed the Sorcerer in the large box frown. It   
  
was a decorated and ornately calved one raised up above the audience of red soldiers.   
  
Max shook hands tightly and cracked his knuckles, he was larger than the other shaolin   
  
monk, but that didn't matter in battles like these.  
  
As Liu Kang began to survey the arena he noticed there was something very strange,   
  
about the circumstances. There appeared to be strange patterns in the sand, and   
  
something of a grilled metal surface around the edge. The structure smelled of a heat   
  
baked ground and freshly shaven and cut wood, he could see wood chippings in the   
  
corners of every three space. But the metal structures would have taken a lot longer to   
  
manufacture, if that was indeed what they were.  
  
The two fighters had received no book of rules on what they were supposed to do, so   
  
they just looked up at Shangtsung for a long while, waiting for a sign. Hrusa muttered   
  
something to his challenger, but the conversation was lost to Liu Kang over the din of the   
  
noise, there was something very primeval about the circumstances. Another thing he   
  
noticed about the tournament, was the lack of a medical team by the sides. In the past Liu   
  
Kang had entered various steet fights in the city, and that had always some preparation   
  
even in the cheapest hosts.  
  
However this, the grand mortal kombat, with all the displays of luxury so far had no   
  
signs of such preparations, Liu Kang frowned, what on earth did the sorcerer think he   
  
was doing. The audience of red soldiers quieted for a moment as eyes went to   
  
Shangtsung, there was still the sound of talking and cheering but it was all inaudible to   
  
the monk Liu Kang. The sorcerer looked up expectantly "Here begins mortal kombat" he   
  
chuckled "The last mortal kombat, are you both prepared?"  
  
Hrusa looked at his large opponent and nodded, Max nodded back. Shangtsung   
  
smiled, yet there was something strange in this smile, a grin almost, something evil or   
  
unseen about it. He lifted a hand "Fight" he said with an expectant look and the words   
  
seem to echo round the arena.  
  
The cheering started up again and the two opponents faced each other off, Max held   
  
his hands far to the sides, ready to crush his opponent on his muscular surface. Seeing   
  
Hrusa in action Liu Kang realized that he had improved since the last time they had met,   
  
he was still a big man, and Liu Kang felt a little clumsy in some aspects of his style, but   
  
certainly he seemed more powerful. His hands whirled back in a neutral stance, and he   
  
prepared to take the wrestler down.  
  
They looked at each other for a second, and then for two, and then suddenly they   
  
both leapt forward with the rage of battle in their eyes. 


	4. Chapter 4: The truth of failiure

The two leapt with furious punches, Max the more powerful of the punches, had   
  
his hand diverted by the Shaolin monk, it sky rocketed above the red ninja's shoulder as   
  
Hrusa countered with a punch to the chest, Max stumbled back blocking as Hrusa   
  
followed up with a powerful kick. Max caught his leg and threw the monk back, he   
  
stumbled in the dust and whacked his hand down in annoyance in his mistake.  
  
The huge wrestler charged forward attempting to follow up his limited advantage   
  
but Hrusa soon rolled back onto his feet, out of harms way, Max stamped his foot with a   
  
roar in the place that the monk should have been and attempted to punch him as he got   
  
up. Hrusa barely blocked it and stumbled back further in a desperate retreat, Max could   
  
throw punches like mad. Suddenly the shaolin monk surprised his opponent much to the   
  
cheering of the crowd and swept down resting his one finger down on the ground and   
  
swept a wide sweep completely destroying the large wrestler's balance. He landed with a   
  
shout and Hrusa felt the ground shudder under his weight.  
  
They were close to the grilled area of the arena now, Hrusa brought his leg up and   
  
held it with powerful kinetic energy and brought it down aiming for Max's head, the   
  
wrestler stunned but still having sense didn't try to block the move and rolled to the side,   
  
the sand itching his elbows and getting everywhere. The kick landed with a dull thud that   
  
send a cloud of dust out and made the attacker cough. Hrusa saw the blow too late to   
  
dodge and tensed his stomach for the impact, it hurt but not as much as it would have   
  
done if he had not hit the wall, the audience sat just above him on the stools. He winced   
  
in pain as Max aimed another blow and swung round.  
  
The huge wrestler's hand smashed into the wood sending chippings and sawdust   
  
everywhere, the red soldiers above shuddered and one fell of his seat. With a pained face   
  
the wrestler pulled his hand out to feel a nipping punch to the side, another to the torso,   
  
and then a kick to the face as Hrusa swung blow after blow down onto his unguarded   
  
body. The kick sent him flying back through the air and he landed painfully on his head   
  
with a whelp of a shout.  
  
"Enougth!" called a voice, Hrusa stopped breathing heavily and looked over to the   
  
box. Shangtsung grinned at the fight "Round one over… move back to your positions and   
  
we will commence to round two… Hrusa if you win this match you've one the battle"  
  
Hrusa nodded and moved himself back to his original position breathing all the   
  
while heavily. Max nodded and spat blood onto the sandy floor, Liu Kang winced in   
  
disgust. Max dragged himself to his towering figure and limped a little, the sweep   
  
seeming to have hurt his legs, he was still a towering figure. He hurried back to his   
  
position and smiled "You won't get me so easily this time"  
  
"A good fight" smiled Hrusa "Lets finish it"  
  
Shangtsung looked from one to the other and them giggled with a strange malicious   
  
air "Fight!" he called out suddenly and the battle started afresh.  
  
Hrusa kept his eyes on his opponent all the time, this fight would be based on   
  
defense for him, his ideas for attack on the other, were based on the idea that Max would   
  
be much more careful this time. However he was suddenly proved wrong as his ideas of   
  
the battle were turned upside down.  
  
Suddenly with a shout Max grunted and with a roar that went round the arena   
  
charged forward and leapt at the shaolin monk, the adrenaline coursing through both their   
  
bodies. Hrusa widened his eyes with scarcely a chance to blink and punched rapidly   
  
forward. The blow hit the wrestler hard in the chest but the maniac's force sent him still   
  
flying and hit through, he landed on top of the shaolin monk and took him stunned in his   
  
great muscular arms.  
  
Max held him still, and picked him up in his great arms "I got you now you little   
  
smart boy" he grunted squeezing the wind out of the red robed fighter so that his chest   
  
was exposed. Shangtsung smiled from the boxes, perhaps it was Liu Kang's imagination,   
  
but he thought he saw the sorcerer lick his lips. Hrusa grunted in pain, and held his pelvis   
  
and abdominal muscles firmly, he could feel the wrestlers hands digging into his spine,   
  
and new that if he let the tension go, then his flesh would move into his internal organs,   
  
and would probably kill him out right. Hr grunted and strained raising his arms in   
  
spasms. Liu Kang raised his hands to his lips in fear and looked to Shangtsung to stop the   
  
match but the sorcerer did no such thing.  
  
The huge wrestler squeezed and squeezed and the Shaolin monk felt the wind being   
  
slowly squeezed out of him. Jarek watched from the tree tops with his binoculars, he   
  
smiled to himself "No it's not Kano"  
  
The wrestler whispered in the monks ear as he choked him, tighter and tighter,   
  
Hrusa tried his best to strike out but it did no good, suddenly Max dropped him to the   
  
ground and stepped back. Shangtsung suddenly stood up "What are you doing?" he   
  
shouted.  
  
"It's round two ain't it?" asked Max staring down at the monk who lay winded and   
  
clutching his stomach "Only trying to be a sport" he smiled, his curly brown hairs   
  
sticking to his sweaty face.  
  
Shangtsung looked down at the fight with superiority in his eyes "Very well" he   
  
muttered "I suppose we should stick to the rules seeing as it is the first fight, I'm sorry I   
  
was enjoying your passion for fighting so much, you have a good soul"  
  
"Thanks" returned Max with a grin "Come on you, get up, we ain't done yet"  
  
Hrusa groaned and rolled over in the dust. It took him awhile but he finally stood to   
  
his feet breathing heavily. He clutched his stomach irritably and with a quick breath in   
  
stood to his full height. They looked to Shangtsung who smiled, but this time he stood up.  
  
"This is the final round" he chuckled with an almost demonic air, he flicked a finger   
  
and suddenly many of the red soldiers jumped up and ran to the grate doors guarding it   
  
and pulling out swords and weapons. The two warriors looked around then with   
  
suspicion.  
  
"What's going on!?" asked Hrusa looking round him with a panic stricken face.  
  
Liu Kang strained his head to see what was happening. The lines on the ground   
  
were pulled upon suddenly by great chains and the metal grilled sandy surface revealed a   
  
ring around the arena. Sand sunk into the deathly pit below as razor sharp spikes gleamed   
  
in the morning sun.  
  
"What the hell are you playing at!" roared Max looking defiantly up at the sorcerer.  
  
"This is mortal kombat" he smiled looking down at them "You take the   
  
consequences to the grave, this is the deciding round, the spikes are just to make things   
  
easier"  
  
The pits were too far apart to jump, and the new circular platform gave them little   
  
room to stand on. They looked at each other, Hrusa stepped forward and prepared to   
  
jump. But a red soldier pointed forward a spear at the other end.  
  
"What the hell is this?" exclaimed Liu Kang standing up, spears pointed at him and   
  
he woefully sat down. The sorcerer looked from one to the other, at each fighter in turn   
  
"You have no choice, one of you is going to die in this deciding round, and only you and   
  
your fighting spirit can decide"  
  
Hrusa turned pleadingly back to Max "This is outrageous!" he pleaded to the   
  
wrestler "What can we do?"  
  
"I'll tell you what we can do, we can refuse to fight in this outrageous tournament"   
  
,Hrusa seemed to agree and both of them with drew their hands to a neutral position in   
  
defiance of the demonic figure of Shangtsung above them.  
  
Shangtsung smiled with a quiet chuckle "I thought you'd do that" he smiled, the   
  
audience quieted down, and several moans of disappointment arose from the lack of   
  
blood "Now, I'm afraid I must break the bad news to you both, if you don't fight you   
  
will die anyway and be erased from the tournament, the principle also evolves erasing all   
  
the people connected with you, the Shaolin temple for instance, your wife and family   
  
Max, your sister and your mother sick as she is, and you die without honor"  
  
"This is terrible!" shouted Liu Kang standing up again, the spears came back but he   
  
thrust them aside knocking the soldiers back, one fell over the fence into the pit and with   
  
a shout and a fountain of blood spurted up from beneath. Liu Kang widened his eyes, and   
  
looked at the blood on his hands.  
  
"I warn you Liu Kang, I allowed you to come to this match, the same rules applies   
  
to you as well, if you want out of this tournament that you entered as a mortal, into mortal   
  
kombat then there is no going back, look at the soldier you just smote"  
  
Liu Kang stepped silently forward and the red soldiers stepped back in fear like   
  
Wolves at the loss of one of their own to a bear. He took one step on the wooden barrier   
  
and looked over edge. The red soldier lay with a razor sharp spike thrust through his   
  
middle, blood leaked out over the sandy chamber below.  
  
"Don't let him get me!" he moaned, blood leaking from his torn mouth "Don't let   
  
him get me!" he repeated the phrase over and over again. Liu Kang widened his mouth in   
  
shock and watched the body twitch and the mouth shudder. His face ghostly rested down   
  
as his mouth started to fill up with blood, thrashing in his own saliva. A green light shot   
  
out of him suddenly and his body reached out, the soul tearing away from it's body, and   
  
smoke and the smell of decay filling the monk's nostrils.  
  
It thrashed across the sky, and landed in the palm of the Sorcerer's hand he closed it,   
  
and smiled "Do you both want this fate?"  
  
Liu Kang sat back in shock "So the legends were true"  
  
The two fighters looked stunned at the display before them, the most unholy display   
  
of destruction, the most fowl act that any living could commit, the thieving of one's very   
  
soul. Shangtsung folded his arms and with a commanding voice he spoke again.  
  
"Now Fight" smiled the sorcerer and say back down in his seat "Don't disappoint   
  
me Max"  
  
Max looked to the ground a tear coming to his eye, he looked up to Hrusa and with   
  
an almost pleading look said the following words "I am sorry Hrusa but I cannot allow   
  
my family to suffer destruction because of my cowardness"  
  
"I too must honor my brethren" returned Hrusa already defeated in mind if not in   
  
body. He raised himself to battle, and Max did the same. The spikes gleamed shinning all   
  
the while in the hot sun. The smell of decay filled the arena as the body in the pit rotted   
  
away.  
  
They faced each other off for the last time and prepared for mortal kombat. The   
  
sorcerer flickered his eyes down at them. He chuckled with a secretive smile. They raised   
  
their arms in the best stances they both knew and prepared for a match to the death. Hrusa   
  
shook his head and looked bravely upon his opponent who acted similarly.  
  
The cheers for blood started up again and Liu Kang muttered to himself, he had   
  
never killed a single person before in his life, and now he had done it. The feeling of   
  
shock riveted through him as he looked down on the blood shed on his hands. He tried to   
  
dry them on his cloth but it only made them itch. The red soldiers ignored him now, they   
  
didn't even seem to care about the fallen, who had met a most ghastly fait down below   
  
amongst the sharp blades.  
  
Max's face was tense, and suddenly the two figures leapt furiously towards each   
  
other, this time the blows were well calculated and were the best both fighters could   
  
muster. Max's punches were strong fast and he expected them to be blocked, Hrusa was   
  
fast and agile and was prepared to be hit. None of them were prepared to make the crucial   
  
mistake that would inevitably lead to their defeat.  
  
The cheers continued as the blocked combos showered round the arena, they closed   
  
in on the edge at several points but diverted at the last moment, Hrusa tilted the match the   
  
other way, and Max looked almost lost at one point as a finishing kick missed him by   
  
inches. No one was scoring any successful blows, or defeats, they were trying their   
  
ultimate potential against each other. The tension increased at one point as Hrusa rolled   
  
to one side barely missing a quick punch, he only just blocked the following one which   
  
came on as if Max were more machine than man. His equally strong punches came on   
  
like a machine used to press mortar into buildings, thump thump thump, there was no   
  
halting tiring or stopping in his equal strokes.  
  
Hrusa had no choice but to block the strokes or try with pain staking difficulty to   
  
divert to the side, which he could only just do and gave him no advantage. The fists were   
  
like large wooden pistons. The crowd cheered as Hrusa's foot slipped back a foot, and   
  
sent a shower of sand down into the spike pit, the heel of his foot hung dangerously over   
  
the edge for a good few seconds before he somehow managed to roll out of the way.  
  
Unfortunately it was as he did this that a strong slam came down on his back, and he   
  
crashed to the ground. It hurt bitterly but he struggled to regain the advantage he had   
  
sorely just lost. Max with a deafening roar tried to take him down with a bone shattering   
  
elbow to the back, somehow Hrusa found it in himself, seeing for a split second the   
  
Shaolin temple burning to the ground, with voices shrieking and running, burning figures   
  
running towards him their ghostly hands outstretched; he rolled to the side. Max's elbow   
  
cracked on impact with the floor, and he whimpered with a horrifying shout as his arm   
  
twisted badly in agony. The Arena actually cracked as sand on all sides plummeted into   
  
the spiked pit below. Before he had time to recover, Hrusa pushed up on both hands in a   
  
flip, and with a double kick sent the huge wrestler flying down into the pit with a cry in   
  
agony. The monk only just saved himself from going over the edge as well.  
  
The noise was deadly, the soft sound of a sword blade ripping through flesh, a   
  
fountain of blood piercing the unclean air. Hrusa didn't have it in him to look over the   
  
edge, instead he put his hands on his ears and looked sitting at the floor in the opposite   
  
direction. There was a shriek from below as smoke and ash rose from a decayed corpse,   
  
and the once strong soul faded away into the clutches of the Grand master above them all.   
  
His hand closed with finality.  
  
"Round over, Fatality… you win Hrusa … I guess I underestimated your potential"  
  
A silence went round the arena, and then an unholy cheer pierced the sky. Jarek   
  
opened his mouth with shock, and then closed it. He looked stunned from the tree tops at   
  
the scene below him. He clutched his blade with anxiety, so that it cut into his hands, he   
  
gave a quiet whimper and looked down at his hand, blood seeping in his palm. He hid the   
  
blade, and quietly descended the tree. 


End file.
